Liam Pickering staunchly defended Carlton coach David Teague on Saturday.
The former Geelong and North Melbourne midfielder, who manages Teague, described recent media reports as “a vicious, deliberate and nasty attack on a young coach” as well as a “disgrace” and “absolutely disgusting”.
There has been a witch hunt of sorts involving Teague with Carlton struggling on the field and an external review of the club having taken place, making it the perfect storm for the media.
Speculation regarding Teague’s future with the Blues has continued in the wake of the weekend’s heavy loss to Port Adelaide, prompting further discussion between Tim Watson and Garry Lyon on Monday morning.
“Pickers came out and passionately defended his man in David Teague,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.
“What did you think about the passionate response from Pickers on the weekend?”
To which Lyon replied: “Yeah I get that.”
“He’s the manager of a coach in his second full year of coaching who when you call for this review puts a huge spotlight on him.
“I don’t blame the journalists for the speculation. The speculation comes as a result of the spotlight and the review.
“I get Pickers’ frustration. He probably directs that back at the club to say, ‘In his full second year of coaching, you go and announce this halfway through a year and you expect the spotlight not to be as bright as it is’.”
In a bid to help Teague sort out the defensive side of Carlton’s game, which is where they have been found wanting, the idea of sub-contracting departing Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was floated.
Watson said: “How’s this for an idea: Carlton just grab hold of him (Clarkson), they keep Teague, and they’ve got to fix the defensive part of their game.
“They just say to Clarko, ‘Look, can you come and help us out for a month, we’ll pay you $100,000, just implement the defensive part of the game for us and show us how it’s supposed to be done’.”
David King also commented on Teague’s current situation, sharing an empathetic view.
He believes the club has treated him poorly.
“I think the long goodbye is the most disrespectful thing a club can do to a coach… a guy who’s come in to improve their lot, to ply his trade to try and get them some success, to come into a club that was broken,” King said on Fox Footy.
“He’s been there two and a half years – and he’ll go. I’ve got no doubt he’ll go and they’ll apportion the blame of what he hasn’t done defensively and they’ll find reasons.
“I feel so sorry for him, I really do. I don’t know whether he can coach or not – there’s been hundreds of coaches come in that are very good coaches, but unless you’re a successful coach you’re just another one of those that didn’t get it done – but for the club to treat him like this, I think it’s really poor.”
Regardless of all the ideas and thoughts relating to Teague, he remains in the Carlton job and is expected to do so for the final game of 2021.
Teague is contracted with the Blues for 2022.
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